At training camp yesterday, the Indianapolis Colts provided an update on the status of inside linebacker Nate Irving, who’s still trying to get fully healthy from a torn ACL suffered late last season with the Denver Broncos:
Pagano says the plan for Nate Irving is to take part in walk through now, then eventually work him into individual and team drills.
— Kevin Bowen (@KBowen1070) August 2, 2015
The good news is that Irving appears healthy enough to have avoided the PUP list, unlike of some his other rehabilitating teammates such as Robert Mathis and Donald Thomas. However, Irving is expected to be limited early on with Colts coaches cautioning that he’ll be worked in rather slowly:
Nate Irving (knee) is not on PUP but he's gonna be worked in very, very slowly acc to Pagano. Getting closer.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) August 2, 2015
If all goes according to plan, it appears that Irving should be ready to go by the start of the team’s regular season, even if he still clearly has some much-needed rust to shake off in the mean time.
When healthy, Irving figures to potentially challenge Jerrell Freeman for a starting spot, who battled his own injury last season. At the very least, he should provide proven depth between the latter and the team’s other incumbent starting inside linebacker in veteran D’Qwell Jackson.
While Irving struggles a bit in coverage, he’s stout in run defense and thus, could be often used situationally against the run. In theory, he could form the run stopping half of an effective platoon with Freeman, who could largely handle passing situations which he better excels at.
Whatever the case may be, this update is encouraging news, as the Colts reportedly have plans to utilize Irving heavily in their defensive attack this season:
Nate Irving may or may not be cleared yet, but he's on track to play this season. Pos. coach told me they expect to use him quite a bit.
— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) August 1, 2015
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